By Karen O’Connor:
Are you finding God in all things … even in beautiful giant redwoods which He created?
Here’s a photo (from Wikipedia) of a similarly beautiful park, Humboldt Redwoods State Park, where you can find God in nature as you see what beauty He has created.
I took my friend for a nature walk during her recent visit to my community in Central Coast California. I chose Henry Cowell State Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains, home to the centuries old Redwood Grove that features a self-guided nature path. As we strolled, we both realized at the same time that we were finding God in giant redwoods.
The grove includes other old-growth woods such as Douglas fir, mandrone, oak and a stunning group of Ponderosa pines. The oldest trees in the park are about 1400 to 1800 years old. We couldn’t help but stop and look up in awe at the majesty of these mighty trees and the resilience they display. Some have been burned, twisted, maimed by wind and fire but they stand proud and tall nonetheless. And new trees grow alongside the old-timers.
I was inspired by their ability to come back from stress again and again and still go on living after thousands of years. This reminds me of Psalms 1-3, in the Bible:
Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
If God will take care of a grove of trees, imagine how he will take care of you and me. Don’t give up. Stand tall. Look to the Lord and trust. Finding God in the giant redwoods was one more nudge from God to turn to him in all ways and in all things. As we concluded our walk my friend and I agreed with the poet Joyce Kilmer who said, ‘only God can make a tree.’
Enjoy this informative YouTube video showing the Redwood Grove loop: it’s gorgeous and wheelchair accessible!
©Karen O’Connor. Karen is an author, writing mentor, and frequent contributor to the Finding God Daily blog. Visit Karen on the web at www.karenoconnor.com, on Facebook or follow on Twitter @karenoconnor .
Can’t get enough of these incredible trees? Here’s another story we did on them, by Dianne Neal Matthews, with yet another devotional perspective: Finding God in the Giant Redwoods
